This invention relates to a floor sweeper with an improved bail assembly.
It is already known, as in the above-identified patents, to construct a floor sweeper wherein the bail for the handle extends through a slot positioned centrally in the top of the sweeper housing. It is also known that a bail stay may be utilized to hold the bail and handle in a desired end position of maximum tilt or alternately in a central position for storing the sweeper with the handle upright. Furthermore, it has already been proposed, as in the above-identified Bloom patent, to mount the ends of the horizontal bail rod in bearings in the sweeper frame end walls.
In addition, it is also known in floor sweepers to utilize a sub-frame including partitions disposed inwardly from the housing end walls for mounting the sweeper wheels and axles, brush roller, dust pan biasing springs and the like.
It is a task of the present invention to provide a simpler and more economical floor sweeper structure wherein the bail assembly is easily mounted centrally of the sweeper and essentially closes up the central slot to prevent dirt and other debris from penetrating into the sweeper mechanism from the top.
It is a further task of the invention to provide a bail structure which may be readily assembled apart from the sweeper and then quickly mounted therein.
It is yet another task of the invention to provide a bail stay of inexpensive yet simple construction which not only includes central and end detents for handle positioning, but which also co-acts with the bail between detent positions to prevent wobbling of the lower sweeper unit on the handle during sweeping operations.
Other tasks of the invention are to prevent permanent distortion of the bail stay when the handle is in a detent position, and to utilize the bail to prevent inward movement of the frame partitions should the latter become loosened from the housing.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a pair of opposed bail stay members are frictionally mounted to the horizontal bar of a T-bar bail, with the stay members engaging the bail stud and prevented from rotating relative to each other on the bar. The resultant assembly is inserted up through the central slot of the sweeper top and held in position by friction and interference. The opposed stay members seal the top against penetration of dirt into the sweeper mechanism.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the outer ends of the horizontal bail bar are received within slots formed in the end partitions of the sweeper sub-frame. The slots prevent shifting of the bail bar laterally. Furthermore, the bail bar ends prevent inward movement of the partitions in the event the latter comes loose from the housing end walls.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the opposed stay members form a channel for angular movement of the bail stud and with the channel being formed to provide at least one end detent and a central detent. The stay members are slightly flexible and the channel between detents is slightly narrower than the diameter of the bail stud. Thus, when the stud is positioned between detents, the channel edges frictionally bind on the bail stud to substantially reduce wobbling of the sweeper housing on the handle. The detents themselves are dimensioned to be relatively free of the bail stud when the latter is in a detent position to prevent the flexible stay members from taking a permanently expanded set.